The Vegetation and Flora of the Region of the Rio de Bavispe (Stephen S. White, 1948)

Vegetation and Flora research from 1938 to 1941 in the Rio Bavispe / Sierra El Tigre region. At that time White said that the area "...certainly is one of the least known regions of the North Mexican border" and "has been almost completely neglected by scientists". This is no longer entirely true about northeastern Sonora, but there are still large gaps in knowledge in the region.

From the Introduction:

The present study of the botanical features of the region of the Rio de Bavispe, one of the larger tributaries of the Rio Yaqui, was undertaken to advance our knowledge of an area which, to quote Mearns: "to this day . . . remains the principal terra incognita of Mexico . . . certain to yield many new species of plants and animals when its exploration becomes possible." Whether this is the principal terra incognita of all Mexico may well be questioned, but it certainly is one of the least known regions of the north Mexican border.

In the following pages an attempt will be made to describe the salient features of the vegetation, and to delineate the relationships of the flora. It is hoped that this treatment will partially fill the gap which has long existed in our knowledge of the vegetation of northwestern Mexico. The desert regions of Sonora on the west, and of Chihuahua on the east, are fairly well known, but up to now northeastern Sonora (for that matter practically all of the eastern part of the state) has been almost completely neglected by botanists.

~ "The Vegetation and Flora of the Region of the Rio de Bavispe
in Northeastern Sonora, Mexico"